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US4280871A - Live steam shut-off device for pressurized water reactors - Google Patents

Live steam shut-off device for pressurized water reactors Download PDF

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Publication number
US4280871A
US4280871A US05/862,626 US86262677A US4280871A US 4280871 A US4280871 A US 4280871A US 86262677 A US86262677 A US 86262677A US 4280871 A US4280871 A US 4280871A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
casing
shut
valve
steam
opening
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US05/862,626
Inventor
Jurgen Hoffmann
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Kraftwerk Union AG
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Kraftwerk Union AG
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Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from DE19742403668 external-priority patent/DE2403668C3/en
Application filed by Kraftwerk Union AG filed Critical Kraftwerk Union AG
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Publication of US4280871A publication Critical patent/US4280871A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F22—STEAM GENERATION
    • F22B—METHODS OF STEAM GENERATION; STEAM BOILERS
    • F22B37/00—Component parts or details of steam boilers
    • F22B37/02—Component parts or details of steam boilers applicable to more than one kind or type of steam boiler
    • F22B37/42—Applications, arrangements, or dispositions of alarm or automatic safety devices
    • F22B37/44—Applications, arrangements, or dispositions of alarm or automatic safety devices of safety valves
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C13/00—Pressure vessels; Containment vessels; Containment in general
    • G21C13/02—Details
    • G21C13/032—Joints between tubes and vessel walls, e.g. taking into account thermal stresses
    • G21C13/036—Joints between tubes and vessel walls, e.g. taking into account thermal stresses the tube passing through the vessel wall, i.e. continuing on both sides of the wall
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21D—NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
    • G21D1/00—Details of nuclear power plant
    • G21D1/02—Arrangements of auxiliary equipment
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21D—NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
    • G21D3/00—Control of nuclear power plant
    • G21D3/04—Safety arrangements
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
    • Y02E30/30—Nuclear fission reactors

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a live steam shut-off device for pressurized water nuclear reactors and, particularly, to such a device for shutting off steam lines formed of double-walled tubes extending from a protective vessel of pressurized water nuclear reactors and which have shut-off, safety and/or blow-off valves inserted therein.
  • Pressurized water reactors for the purpose of steam generation, and provided with heat exchangers that are disposed in a protective or containment vessel.
  • the pressurized water heated in the reactor gives up heat to the feedwater in the heat exchangers and vaporizes the feedwater therein.
  • the exhaust steam lines leading from the protective vessel must be so constructed that even if a pipe rupture should occur, it would pose no danger to the surroundings. If one assumes that a weak spot exists in a pipe or tube of the heat exchanger, a rupture in the exhaust steam line can cause a crack or tear to form in the heat exchanger tube due to the rapid pressure drop in the heat exchanger which is a consequence of the break in the exhaust steam line. Radioactive substances can thereby penetrate into the live steam line and, if the pipe rupture should occur outside the protective vessel, can be released to the surroundings.
  • shut-off valve In order to prevent this possible consequence of a pipe rupture, it is necessary to insert a shut-off valve into the exhaust steam line in the interior of the protective or containment vessel. This leads to considerable disadvantage, however, for example with respect to the accessibility of this shut-off valve.
  • Double-walled steam lines of the type contemplated for the invention are used when the protective vessel is bounded, on the one hand, by a steel shell or casing and, on the other hand, by a concrete wall spaced therefrom.
  • the steel shell has the function of resisting any inner pressure that may be produced, while the concrete wall is supposed to protect the steel shell from external effects such as a possible airplane crash.
  • the exhaust steam lines are of double-wall construction in that intermediate space.
  • these double-walled pipes or tubes must end before the respective lines are connected to a shut-off valve.
  • a shut-off device for a double-wall steam line extending out of a safety vessel of a pressurized water reactor comprising a shut-off valve having a casing, the casing being directly connected to an end of a lead-through for the double-wall steam line, the casing being formed with steam inlet and outlet openings and with a further opening, and at least one of a safety and an exhaust gate valve having a casing, the last-mentioned casing being directly connected to the further opening.
  • FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are respective longitudinal sectional, elevational and top plan views, the latter two views partly in section, of the live steam shut-off device for pressurized water reactors constructed in accordance with the invention.
  • a protective or containment vessel 1 formed of a steel casing 2 and a concrete wall 4 spaced from the steel casing 2.
  • An exhaust steam line 5 passes through the steel casing 2 and the concrete wall 4 and, in the intermediate space 3 between the steel casing 2 and the concrete wall 4 and in vicinity of lead-throughs 6 of the exhaust steam line 5, the latter is constructed as a double-walled tube.
  • the effect of a break or rupture of the inner wall of the double-walled tube 5 is that the discharging steam flows into the interior of the protective or containment vessel 1, as shown by the curved arrows in FIG. 2, without any possibility of the production of an excess pressure in the intermediate space 3.
  • the housing 7 of a shut-off valve 8 is directly welded according to the invention, to the outer end of the lead-through 6. Moreover, the housing 7 of the shut-off valve 8 is formed with an additional opening 9 to which a safety valve 10 is welded. An exhaust or blow-off gate valve 12 is directly connected to a second opening that is formed in the safety valve 10. The blow-off or exhaust line 11 which is connected thereto and leads to a start-up control valve 14. All of the valves are disposed in an armature of valve chamber 15 which is connected at the outside directly to the concrete wall 4 of the protective of containment vessel 1.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Emergency Management (AREA)
  • Structure Of Emergency Protection For Nuclear Reactors (AREA)

Abstract

Shut-off device for a double-wall steam line extending out of a safety vessel of a pressurized water reactor includes a shut-off valve having a casing, the casing being directly connected to an end of a lead-through for the double-wall steam line, the casing being formed with steam inlet and outlet openings and with a further opening, and at least one of a safety and an exhaust gate valve having a casing, the last-mentioned casing being directly connected to the further opening.

Description

This is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 727,148, dated Sept. 27, 1976, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 539,422, filed Jan. 8, 1975, both now abandoned.
The invention relates to a live steam shut-off device for pressurized water nuclear reactors and, particularly, to such a device for shutting off steam lines formed of double-walled tubes extending from a protective vessel of pressurized water nuclear reactors and which have shut-off, safety and/or blow-off valves inserted therein.
Pressurized water reactors, for the purpose of steam generation, and provided with heat exchangers that are disposed in a protective or containment vessel. The pressurized water heated in the reactor gives up heat to the feedwater in the heat exchangers and vaporizes the feedwater therein.
The exhaust steam lines leading from the protective vessel must be so constructed that even if a pipe rupture should occur, it would pose no danger to the surroundings. If one assumes that a weak spot exists in a pipe or tube of the heat exchanger, a rupture in the exhaust steam line can cause a crack or tear to form in the heat exchanger tube due to the rapid pressure drop in the heat exchanger which is a consequence of the break in the exhaust steam line. Radioactive substances can thereby penetrate into the live steam line and, if the pipe rupture should occur outside the protective vessel, can be released to the surroundings.
In order to prevent this possible consequence of a pipe rupture, it is necessary to insert a shut-off valve into the exhaust steam line in the interior of the protective or containment vessel. This leads to considerable disadvantage, however, for example with respect to the accessibility of this shut-off valve.
Double-walled steam lines of the type contemplated for the invention are used when the protective vessel is bounded, on the one hand, by a steel shell or casing and, on the other hand, by a concrete wall spaced therefrom. Thus, the steel shell has the function of resisting any inner pressure that may be produced, while the concrete wall is supposed to protect the steel shell from external effects such as a possible airplane crash.
In order to prevent excess pressure from being exerted on the steel shell or hull from the outside in the event a break occurs in a pipe at a location in the intermediate space between the steel shell and the concrete wall, the exhaust steam lines are of double-wall construction in that intermediate space. However, these double-walled pipes or tubes must end before the respective lines are connected to a shut-off valve.
It is the object of the invention of this application to provide a live steam shut-off device for pressurized water reactors wherein only one shut-off valve must be provided outside the protective vessel to make it impossible for a pipe rupture to occur outside the safety vessel forward of the valve.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided in accordance with the invention, a shut-off device for a double-wall steam line extending out of a safety vessel of a pressurized water reactor comprising a shut-off valve having a casing, the casing being directly connected to an end of a lead-through for the double-wall steam line, the casing being formed with steam inlet and outlet openings and with a further opening, and at least one of a safety and an exhaust gate valve having a casing, the last-mentioned casing being directly connected to the further opening.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in live steam shut-off device for pressurized water reactors, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are respective longitudinal sectional, elevational and top plan views, the latter two views partly in section, of the live steam shut-off device for pressurized water reactors constructed in accordance with the invention.
Referring now to the figures of the drawing, there are shown therein a protective or containment vessel 1 formed of a steel casing 2 and a concrete wall 4 spaced from the steel casing 2. An exhaust steam line 5 passes through the steel casing 2 and the concrete wall 4 and, in the intermediate space 3 between the steel casing 2 and the concrete wall 4 and in vicinity of lead-throughs 6 of the exhaust steam line 5, the latter is constructed as a double-walled tube. The effect of a break or rupture of the inner wall of the double-walled tube 5 is that the discharging steam flows into the interior of the protective or containment vessel 1, as shown by the curved arrows in FIG. 2, without any possibility of the production of an excess pressure in the intermediate space 3.
The housing 7 of a shut-off valve 8 is directly welded according to the invention, to the outer end of the lead-through 6. Moreover, the housing 7 of the shut-off valve 8 is formed with an additional opening 9 to which a safety valve 10 is welded. An exhaust or blow-off gate valve 12 is directly connected to a second opening that is formed in the safety valve 10. The blow-off or exhaust line 11 which is connected thereto and leads to a start-up control valve 14. All of the valves are disposed in an armature of valve chamber 15 which is connected at the outside directly to the concrete wall 4 of the protective of containment vessel 1.
It is apparent that no pipelines are located forward of the shut-off valve 8 up to the exhaust or blow-off gate valve 12 outside the concrete wall 4. The housings for the valves 8, 10, 12 are, in addition, so dimensioned for reasons of strength and stability that rupture of the housings need not be feared. What is achieved thereby is that with a disposition of valves outside the containment vessel, clear security against pipe rupture is possible. Should a break or rupture occur in the steam discharge line 13 of the shut-off valve 8, the latter can be closed and thereby prevent radioactively contaminated steam from escaping into the atmosphere.

Claims (4)

I claim: PG,7
1. In a pressurized water reactor having a safety vessel formed of a steel casing and a concrete wall surrounding and spaced from the steel casing, a double-wall steam discharge line extending from the steel casing through a hole formed in the concrete wall, the double-wall steam line having outer and inner walls defining an annular passage open inside the steel casing from returning steam escaping through a possible rupture in the inner wall back to the inside of the steel casing, and said line being closed outside the steel casing at a location spaced therefrom a distance at least equal to the distance between the steel casing and the concrete wall, a shut-off device disposed in said steam discharge line comprising exclusively one shut-off valve having a casing, said casing being directly connected to an end of said steam line outside said concrete wall, said casing being formed with steam inlet and outlet openings and with a further opening and means for closing said outlet opening, and at least one additional value having a casing formed with an inlet opening, said last-mentioned valve casing being directly connected by weldment to said first-mentioned valve casing so as to connect said inlet opening of said last-mentioned valve casing directly to said further openings.
2. Shut-off device according to claim 1 wherein the steam outlet of said shut-off valve casing is disposed at an angle of substantially 90° to the steam inlet to said shut-off valve, and said further opening connected to said last-mentioned casing is located opposite the steam inlet opening formed in said shut-off valve casing.
3. Shut-off device according to claim 1 wherein said additional valve is a safety valve.
4. Shut-off device according to claim 1 wherein said safety valve casing is formed with an outlet opening, an exhaust gate valve having a casing formed with an inlet opening, said casing of said exhaust gate valve being directly connected by weldment to said safety valve casing so as to connect said inlet opening of said exhaust gate valve casing directly to said outlet opening of said safety valve casing.
US05/862,626 1974-01-25 1977-12-20 Live steam shut-off device for pressurized water reactors Expired - Lifetime US4280871A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2403668 1974-01-25
DE19742403668 DE2403668C3 (en) 1974-01-25 Live steam shut-off device for pressurized water reactors

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US05427148 Continuation 1976-09-27

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US4280871A true US4280871A (en) 1981-07-28

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US05/862,626 Expired - Lifetime US4280871A (en) 1974-01-25 1977-12-20 Live steam shut-off device for pressurized water reactors

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US4280871A (en)
JP (2) JPS50107396A (en)
AT (1) AT356766B (en)
BE (1) BE824223A (en)
CH (1) CH576102A5 (en)
FR (1) FR2259420B1 (en)
GB (1) GB1499415A (en)
LU (1) LU71709A1 (en)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4576782A (en) * 1983-10-19 1986-03-18 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Nuclear reactor loss of coolant protection system
US4705071A (en) * 1985-12-09 1987-11-10 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Steam control valve with improved muffler portion
DE4206660A1 (en) * 1992-03-03 1993-09-09 Siemens Ag SAFETY DEVICE AGAINST OVERPRESSURE FAILURE OF A CORE REACTOR PRESSURE TANK
US6011826A (en) * 1996-01-19 2000-01-04 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Steam power station
US11198023B2 (en) * 2017-08-30 2021-12-14 Neuboron Medtech Ltd. Neutron capture therapy system

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2531168B2 (en) * 1975-07-11 1977-04-28 Kraftwerk Union AG, 4330 Mülheim NUCLEAR REACTOR PLANT

Citations (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US787341A (en) * 1903-10-29 1905-04-11 Reuben A Mitchell Gas-engine starter.
US1278067A (en) * 1917-12-01 1918-09-03 Merrill Process Company Heating apparatus.
US1349594A (en) * 1919-11-20 1920-08-17 William H Wafer Gage or try-cock
US3140982A (en) * 1964-07-14 Thermal reactors
US3185631A (en) * 1958-08-11 1965-05-25 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Assembly comprising a heat source and associated apparatus
US3819476A (en) * 1971-09-01 1974-06-25 Babcock & Wilcox Co Industrial technique
US3818935A (en) * 1972-02-24 1974-06-25 Atomenergi Ab Pressure vessel
DE2345580A1 (en) * 1973-09-10 1975-05-07 Kraftwerk Union Ag PRESSURE WATER REACTOR WITH A SAFETY SHELL AND A FRESH STEAM LINE
US4039377A (en) * 1974-03-20 1977-08-02 Commissariat A L'energie Atomique Nuclear boiler
US4057077A (en) * 1974-06-26 1977-11-08 Kraftwerk Union Aktiengesellschaft Nuclear reactor steam generator installation
US4066498A (en) * 1974-03-01 1978-01-03 Kraftwerk Union Aktiengesellschaft Shut-off and safety device for a live steam line in a pressurized water reactor
US4077837A (en) * 1974-04-09 1978-03-07 Kraftwerk Union Aktiengesellschaft Pressurized-water reactor coolant pipe containment
US4092214A (en) * 1975-08-13 1978-05-30 Kraftwerk Union Aktiengesellschaft Nuclear reactor installation

Patent Citations (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3140982A (en) * 1964-07-14 Thermal reactors
US787341A (en) * 1903-10-29 1905-04-11 Reuben A Mitchell Gas-engine starter.
US1278067A (en) * 1917-12-01 1918-09-03 Merrill Process Company Heating apparatus.
US1349594A (en) * 1919-11-20 1920-08-17 William H Wafer Gage or try-cock
US3185631A (en) * 1958-08-11 1965-05-25 Atomic Energy Authority Uk Assembly comprising a heat source and associated apparatus
US3819476A (en) * 1971-09-01 1974-06-25 Babcock & Wilcox Co Industrial technique
US3818935A (en) * 1972-02-24 1974-06-25 Atomenergi Ab Pressure vessel
DE2345580A1 (en) * 1973-09-10 1975-05-07 Kraftwerk Union Ag PRESSURE WATER REACTOR WITH A SAFETY SHELL AND A FRESH STEAM LINE
US4066498A (en) * 1974-03-01 1978-01-03 Kraftwerk Union Aktiengesellschaft Shut-off and safety device for a live steam line in a pressurized water reactor
US4039377A (en) * 1974-03-20 1977-08-02 Commissariat A L'energie Atomique Nuclear boiler
US4077837A (en) * 1974-04-09 1978-03-07 Kraftwerk Union Aktiengesellschaft Pressurized-water reactor coolant pipe containment
US4057077A (en) * 1974-06-26 1977-11-08 Kraftwerk Union Aktiengesellschaft Nuclear reactor steam generator installation
US4092214A (en) * 1975-08-13 1978-05-30 Kraftwerk Union Aktiengesellschaft Nuclear reactor installation

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4576782A (en) * 1983-10-19 1986-03-18 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Nuclear reactor loss of coolant protection system
US4705071A (en) * 1985-12-09 1987-11-10 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Steam control valve with improved muffler portion
DE4206660A1 (en) * 1992-03-03 1993-09-09 Siemens Ag SAFETY DEVICE AGAINST OVERPRESSURE FAILURE OF A CORE REACTOR PRESSURE TANK
US5517538A (en) * 1992-03-03 1996-05-14 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Safety device protecting a nuclear reactor pressure vessel against overpressure failure
US6011826A (en) * 1996-01-19 2000-01-04 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Steam power station
US11198023B2 (en) * 2017-08-30 2021-12-14 Neuboron Medtech Ltd. Neutron capture therapy system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2403668B2 (en) 1975-11-20
FR2259420B1 (en) 1979-09-28
FR2259420A1 (en) 1975-08-22
LU71709A1 (en) 1975-06-24
GB1499415A (en) 1978-02-01
ATA917074A (en) 1979-10-15
DE2403668A1 (en) 1975-07-31
JPS58182200U (en) 1983-12-05
AT356766B (en) 1980-05-27
JPS6145519Y2 (en) 1986-12-20
JPS50107396A (en) 1975-08-23
CH576102A5 (en) 1976-05-31
BE824223A (en) 1975-05-02

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